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The career-defining choice facing George Ford
Over the next few weeks, George Ford will find himself across a table from the Leicester Tigers board as they try to thrash out a new deal.
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Tigers – an institution of English rugby – are near the foot of the Gallagher Premiership and recovering from a bruising loss to local rivals Northampton last weekend.
The venerable English club have problems – big problems. A world-class backline finds itself hamstrung by an underpowered pack and successive, ad hoc coaching appointments have done untold damage to the fabric of the organisation.
If Tigers are going to do anything this season, then it’s going to be Ford that does it. Ford knows it, his agent knows it and Tigers know it.
Also, with the club for sale, Ford is not just a playing asset but a commercial asset. A winning team, led by one of England’s biggest stars, is essential to any sales prospectus. In short, Ford is likely to become one of the highest-paid players in the English game if not the highest.
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Yet, this is not the whole story. Obviously Ford wants to make sure he can pay his mortgage but he also wants to win things and at 26 he needs to start winning now. An honest assessment of Leicester Tigers would lead to the conclusion that they are still a world away from appearing at the top table of Europe, let alone winning it or challenging for the Premiership title.
So what are Ford’s options? Tigers are certainly the favourites. They could use a marquee player slot for Ford and pay him literally whatever they wanted without it affecting the salary cap. As Ford is already a Premiership player, no other team can make him a marquee player. So the expectation is for Ford to become the Leicester’s highest-paid player with a deal that will smash the £500k deal signed by Manu Tuilagi earlier this year.
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Another club trying to match that offer would in all likelihood need to get rid of several very good players to make the numbers work under salary cap rules. Furthermore, the clubs most likely to win are already pretty settled positionally and culturally at fly-half.
They're not fine. pic.twitter.com/gTu2H1nYnV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 5, 2019
This last point is particularly important. For example, Exeter Chiefs have Gareth Steenson and Joe Simmons at fly-half. Both are excellent players but someway short of Ford. Those lads have the Devon club woven into the fabric of their being. Not only are they very good players but they know the club and what is expected of them.
The collective is always more important than the player. As excellent as Ford is, would he be worth asking four Chiefs to pack their bags and get out of dodge? Probably not.
There are also time constraints. Clubs are not yet able to officially approach Ford and by the time they are, a club would like to have completed all its re-signing and spent most of its cap. Any club likely to win next season would not be able to get Ford under the cap without ripping up large parts of their squad and any club that could afford him don’t have a squad capable of winning.
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The only hope Ford has of winning next year is by taking a large pay cut to go to an established team, which is certainly not ideal. There are only a few realistic options for Ford in the Premiership and they are all predicated on the dominos falling in the correct order.
Gloucester could be an option if Danny Cipriani, although contracted through to 2022, decides to go to France for a big payday now that his England career is likely over. Combine that with Owen Williams being out of contract and you could find the money for Ford with minimum disruption.
Bath have been desperate to spend on a fly-half since Ford left but this seems unlikely. Bristol, too, could potentially make room for Ford. Following the signing of the brilliant Semi Radradra, Pat Lam indicated he had more cap room to play with. In addition, Ian Madigan, one of the Premiership’s highest-paid players, is currently out of favour and seems destined for the exit at Ashton Gate.
Ian Madigan has an interesting call to make as he comes to the end of his contract cycle https://t.co/HXmAxYJPke
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 2, 2019
It is doubtful those two clubs could match a good Tigers offer but if they are challenging for silverware, would they need to? France and Japan are also out of the question for Ford for the time being due to England’s eligibility rules, but there might be another option.
Ford could join Sonny Bill Williams and co in the Super League. It sounds stupid on the face of it but the money might be there. Leeds Rhinoes are certainly interested and Ford has stated his wish to play at St Helens. Remember, Ford was weaned on the gritty northern sport.
He is from rugby league heartland and played at both Saddleworth Rangers and Waterhead near Oldham from the age of five. He could join any team that could afford him and almost certainly become a Super League marquee player (Super League also have a salary cap).
Such a switch would make sense from a timing point of view. Who knows what state England are going to be in as the RFU dither over Eddie Jones’ next contract – they have already let half the coaching staff leave. Ford could go and compete for the famed Challenge Cup while England go through a rebuild. He could fight for Super League titles for two years and then be back in rugby union by October 2022.
Not only does he get a chance to fill his trophy cabinet but it gives English Premiership teams time to table Ford an offer using their marquee space. That will be possible as they would be signing a player from a different league, unlike if the switch were to happen now from Leicester. In effect, Ford would have created a huge market for his signature and the perfect conditions for teams to sign him.
As departing All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams prepares for life in Canada with ambitious rugby league side the Toronto Wolfpack, a new report has emerged that he could be joined by English midfielder Manu Tuilagi. pic.twitter.com/KwdfTTWwnq
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 8, 2019
He would be the biggest signing in rugby league’s Super League and then quickly the biggest signing in rugby union’s Premiership. The bidding war for the England No10, who could potentially have a Super League ring on his finger, would make Ford a very rich man indeed.
He could simply pick the best situation for him, making his England return that much easier in time for the 2023 World Cup in France. If Ford is really serious about wanting to play rugby league he should do it now as he would have no shortage of union offers when he decides to return.
WATCH: Recently-retired All Black Sonny Bill Williams is unveiled by Super League’s Toronto Wolfpack
Comments on RugbyPass
What was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
27 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
27 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
27 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to comments